Aspen at a glance
- Population: 6,612 — 69th in Colorado, which has 270 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 7,002 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 5.6% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 69th of the state's 270 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 74% of Colorado's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 39.1952, -106.8368 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Carbondale, CO (25 mi); Gypsum, CO (30 mi); Eagle, CO (31 mi); Glenwood Springs, CO (36 mi); Gunnison, CO (45 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Snowmass Village, CO (6 mi); Basalt, CO (16 mi); Marble, CO (21 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Aspen
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Aspen
The table carries the Colorado rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Aspen.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Colorado Attorney General's Office — Consumer Credit Unit (Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code) Source says: "The Consumer Credit Unit regulates (through licensure/registration programs) companies and individuals involved in consumer lending"; it "licenses non-bank lenders such as finance companies and payday lenders". | Colorado Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | UCCC finance-charge ceilings: 12% per year on non-supervised consumer loans; supervised loans 36% on the first $1,000, 21% on $1,000–$3,000, 15% above $3,000 (or 21% flat); 21% on revolving accounts Source says: "not exceeding twelve percent per year on the unpaid balance of the amount financed"; "Thirty-six percent per year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed that is one thousand dollars or less"; "Twenty-one percent per year on the unpaid balances of the amount financed". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-2-201 (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 5) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted but capped at 36% APR (Proposition 111, effective February 1, 2019) Source says: "a finance charge for each deferred deposit loan or payday loan that must not exceed an annual percentage rate of thirty-six percent". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-3.1-105 (Deferred Deposit Loan Act) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required from the UCCC Administrator (master license required for more than one place of business); deferred deposit lenders must hold a supervised lender's license Source says: "if a supervised lender has more than one place of business, they must obtain a master license"; "no person shall engage in the business of deferred deposit loans without having first obtained a supervised lender's license" (C.R.S. § 5-3.1-116). | Colorado Attorney General — Uniform Consumer Credit Code licensing as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Aspen
Before you commit to a personal loan in Aspen, work through these steps:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Colorado using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.